Writing and related stuff

Friday Follies #49 – 3 mistakes that make me go “Arghhh”!

Hi, readers! This week’s batch features two from ‘Old Faithful,’ i.e., The Suburban, as well as one from The Washington Post. The Grammar Cop feels that the renowned Post should know better.

THE SUBURBAN – “The recent death of a Pointe-aux-Trembles woman by a Pit-bull type dog has resurged conversation about…” Ay yi yi! “Resurged”? Please, no. There is a rare usage of “resurge” (although far more often seen as the adjective, resurgent), but only as an intransitive verb. It is a verb that cannot have an object. In this case the writer tried to use it as a transitive verb with “conversation” as its object, but it’s wrong. It’s easily replaced by, say, revived. Also, pit bull is not usually seen with a hyphen (or a capital P). The Grammar Cop seldom dislikes a hyphen, but this is one of those times. For that matter, I would also simplify this by changing “by a Pit-bull type dog” to just: by a pit bull. Everyone knows a pit bull is a dog. Or at least, they should know.

THE SUBURBAN – “…recall his signature delivery and style laden with neuroses, anxiety and a deep-seeded loathing for all things.” Excuse me? I didn’t know “loathing” grew in a garden. Hmm. Please change to deep-seated loathing. By the way, this grotesque error was in a photo caption. Let’s hope its subject, comic Jeremy Hotz, never sees it. He would inevitably react with “deep-seeded” horror.

THE WASHINGTON POST – “Super Pac Priorities USA released an add on June 7 attacking Donald Trump…” This was seen online recently in the preamble to an article on Trump. I have seen this gaffe way too many times to count: “add” is NOT short for advertisement. If you must shorten the word, it should be ad. Why would you tack on a second d? The full word has only one, after all. Let’s keep it that way!

If any of you happen to see a boo-boo like these, by all means email it (or them) to the Grammar Cop via my Contact Me page, and I will give you credit for it if I feature it in Friday Follies. Thanks! Have a great week!